Terry Blanton wrote:
An excerpt from the free book Tokyo Blue on the meaning of the blue tarp:
"Spend some time with this set of images, and you too will begin to
recognize and be able to decode some of the great many shades of
implication that reside in these humble objects . . .
That is an astute analysis.
The use of cloth to hide things and temporarily mark territory goes way
back in Japanese culture. For auspicious occasions they use red and
white cloth draped around a spot. Movies showing generals in battle
sometimes have them sitting on a stool in front of a cloth. Last year, a
very ancient, celebrated tree at a monastery was blown over by a storm.
The monks surrounded the fallen tree with a square of white cloth and
held services for it. I found that very moving.
- Jed
